Remember When?
President Ford’s Veto Disappoints Fayette Power Project Owners
July 9-13, 1976
President Gerald Ford’s veto of the Federal Coal Leasing Act may have delayed or shut down the prospect of the City of Austin and LCRA mining coal on federally owned Camp Swift at Bastrop for the Fayette Power Project. However, U.S. Rep. Jake Pickle attached an amendment giving public utilities a chance to lease mineral rights on federal land. He hoped Congress would override the veto, enabling the legislation to still be approved.
Screwworms moved into 30 more Texas counties during June, with 2,306 infestations of the live, flesh-eating parasite recorded in 102 counties.
As the era of cheap energy and energy independence faded for America, Fayette County’s 1975 crude oil and natural gas production had become more significant to Texas and the U.S. than at any time since production began here in 1943. The total stood at $100,000 for 1975, a threefold increase over 1974 and seven times more than 1973. The county ranked 173rd in the state in total value of petroleum produced, realizing $1.9 million from the sale of 238,825 barrels of crude oil and $49,307 from the sale of 1000,421 MCF of natural gas. Fayette County’s royalty owners received $240,212 in 1975.
The La Grange Volunteer Fire Department received a check for $500 from the estate of the late Miss Hattie Kruschel. The gift was a charitable bequest, according to the administrator of the estate, Walter Luck of Spring, Texas. Fire Chief Rudolph Voss, who received the contribution, said the department planned to purchase a piece of equipment as a memorial to Miss Hattie.
A final push to sign up new members for the Muldoon water project was underway. Local resident Charles Rightmer pointed out, “One of the good things in life is good water, and bad water often costs more than good water.” Those interested in the initiative were encouraged to call Jerry Gosch or Mr. Rightmer.
June had been a fairly routine month for local law enforcement, although some days were busier than others, according to Fayette County Sheriff T.J. Flournoy. For example, on June 7, district court was in session; two were arrested for attempted arson; calls were made to Winchester in reference to a cow reported stolen; deputies went to Mullins Prairie to check on a suspicious car and a juvenile was returned to Houston.
The Fayette County Farm Bureau was sending five students to the 14th annual High School Students Citizenship Seminar in Waco, according to Elmo Minzenmeyer, county president. Attending were: Tammy Wunderlich, Jimmy Hoskins, David Joost, Geralyn Okruhlik and Laurie Bathe.
Fayette County bank deposits were still rising. The total for the eight county banks at the June 30 call date was $85,912,606, a gain of $10,307,268 over the same period the year before. Included in the group were: First National, La Grange; La Grange State Bank; Fayetteville State Bank; Round Top State Bank; Carmine State Bank; Flatonia State Bank; Farmers State Bank, Schulenburg; and First National Bank of Schulenburg.
David L. Zatopek, a junior pre-dental major at Texas A&M University and the son of Dr. and Mrs. Leland F. Zatopek of La Grange, was one of three pre-dental students honored on the basis of outstanding grade point average, campus activities and student social activities.
One of the main attractions of the 1976 Schulenburg Festival would be the craft and hobby show, sponsored by Backstage, Inc., in the following categories: needlework, ceramics/decoupage, nature craft, miscellaneous and children’s division. The charge per exhibitor was $10, plus 10% of their total sales. There was no charge for showing only.
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Roy Tobias of Houston celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Sat., June 19, beginning with the renewal of their marriage vows at St. John’s Catholic Church in Fayetteville. The Rev. B.J. Mazurkiewicz was the celebrant of the Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Tobias were married on June 10, 1951, in Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Frelsburg.
Nine members of Boy Scout Troop 204 attended the Wilderness Camp at Lost Pines Scout Reservation near Bastrop. They were: Kenneth Ebel, Matthew Hannes, Philip Ebel, Tommy Purifoy, Douglas Vanek, Don Huelsebusch, Steve Satterwhite, Sam Klein and Harry Lee Freudenberg. Virgil Klein and Dr. Charles E. Ebel were the troop’s adult leaders.
Funeral services were held for Miss Jeanette Spies, 51, of La Grange, and Barbara Meyer Roach, 36, a descendant of an early La Grange family.
The subscription rate for The Fayette County Record increased to $8 per year.
The 12th annual Stryk family reunion was held on June 27 at St. Mary’s Hall in Praha. A total of 86 families from San Antonio, Austin, Victoria, Houston, Corpus Christi and many surrounding towns attended. The oldest person present was Betty Stryk, 89; the youngest member was Kyle Chilek, three months; the couple married the longest was Mr. and Mrs. Herman Caka; and traveling the farthest was Robert Stryk, on leave from the U.S. Navy in California.
If you’d like to reach Elaine, please email her at callacomm@ hotmail.com. You can also visit her website: www. elainethomaswriter.com.